February 13, 1982. Here is a SMURF Coloring Contest for those of you that like the Smurfs - I find smurfs very annoying. "JCPenney SMURF COLORING CONTEST. Meet the Smurfs! They come from a far away land where houses are shaped like mushrooms and everyday is funtime. Smurfs are oh so friendly and would like to get to know you. Start now by coloring this picture and enter the Smurf Coloring Contest." Prizes were stuffed Smurfs and Smurfs Colorforms. Entries were to be dropped off at the JCPenney Shoe Department.

Friday, July 26, 2013

LOS ANGELES AMBASSADOR. A Twenty-Two Acre Playground in the Heart of a Great City. Offers endless opportunity for healthful recreation - tennis, golf, and the wonderful Lido with it's Sun-Tan bathing beach and crystal clear plunge. POST CARD. Designed and Executed by The Steelograph Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. - - - Post Card is not dated. I wonder if George Raft ever stayed at the AMBASSADOR! Another postcard found by my mom at a garage sale.

June 08, 1959. "HILDA is overjoyed. Her grandma, who lives abroad, has sent her a pretty Dutch costume with a hat to match. Will you help HILDA don her new outfit? Using colored pencils or crayons, color doll and costume neatly. Costume is fastened to doll by bending tabs about cut-out figure, of course. Slit hat to fit over doll's forehead. How do you like HILDA in her new costume?" Another sweet paper doll by Emma C. Mckean.

Summer 1969. Kemah, Texas. First photo is of my mother, Wanda, ready with her net to scoop up any crab that happens to come to her crab line. Second photo is of my brother, Donnie, scooping up my mother after she took a tumble off the rocks. It was a fun day fishing and crabbing with my family and friends.

Monday, July 15, 2013

April 14, 1934. "A Spanish Guest. CARMELITA. Here is the most colorful addition to the Doll Family in many weeks, Carmelita, a young Spanish maid, who makes you think of guitar music and moonlight nights. And what a charming Spanish costume she has brought." Another wonderful Laura Brock paper doll.

1996. Costumes For Coloring. Kings & Queens Around the World. Illustrated by Jenny Williams. Text by Laura Driscoll. Grosset & Dunlap, New York. "PHILIP I and JUANA, King (1504-1506) and Queen (1504-1555) of Spain. Philip and Juana became king and queen of Spain when, in 1504, Juana inherited the throne from her mother, Queen Isabella - the very same Queen Isabella who paid for Christopher Columbus's 1492 trip across the Atlantic. Philip died in 1506. Juana was brokenhearted, and she was obviously not willing to say good-bye to her husband. She toured all of Spain with his coffin, and even took Philip's corpse with her when she retired to the countryside in 1509! She became widely known as Juana the Mad. Her son, Charles, became king in 1517 with Juana's permission. Officially, mother and son ruled together until Juana died in 1555. In reality, however, Juana was too depressed to do anything but mourn for her husband." My kind of coloring book. Learning history while coloring great illustrations.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

December 12, 1915. This paper doll reminds me of one of my favorite ball players. The dark wavy hair and dark eyes, yes, he reminds me of the lefty Bob Knepper. Back in the late 1970's, the 1980's and into the early 1990's, I went to a lot of Astro games. When Knepper was with the team I tried to get tickets for the nights he was pitching. I thought he was lovely to look at - and he was a really good pitcher too!